Newly bought Toyota Corolla vanishes overnight in Lagos – N1m reward offered for recovery

Michael Adesina

A Lagos resident, Mr. Shobajo, is reeling from the shock of losing his newly purchased 2017 Toyota Corolla to car thieves, just days after acquiring it.

The vehicle, which had not yet been registered with license plate, was reportedly stolen in front of his residence at Oseni Close, off Adeniran Ogunsanya Street in Surulere.

Speaking to PM News on Monday evening, Mr. Shobajo narrated that he had purchased the car from Kafadona Motors on June 19.

According to him, the vehicle was last seen around 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, where it was parked along his street. By the following morning, it had mysteriously vanished.

“I got the car from Kafadona Motors on the 19th of this month. As of 4 p.m. on Sunday, it was still parked on our street. Since the documents are still being processed, the car had no plate number yet,” he explained. “We discovered it was missing around 7 a.m. today (Monday).”

Mr. Shobajo confirmed that the theft has since been reported to the police, and investigations are currently ongoing.

In a related development, the Chief Executive Officer of Kafadona Motors, who facilitated the car’s delivery from Kaduna to Lagos just a few days ago, also confirmed the incident.

Mr. Kafadona told PM News that he was informed about the incident by Mr Shobajo.

Expressing concern over the theft, the CEO described it as a deeply unfortunate situation and pledged his full support to aid in the recovery process.

To that end, he has announced a ₦1 million reward for anyone who can provide credible and actionable information that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators and recovery of the stolen vehicle.

“I will personally offer a cash reward of one million naira to anyone who can provide vital information to help the police track down the criminals and retrieve the car,” he stated.

Members of the public with any useful information are strongly encouraged to contact the following numbers: 08068330860 or 09066670963.

The incident serves as a troubling reminder of the rising wave of car thefts in Lagos, even in residential areas considered relatively safe.

Authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant, particularly with unregistered vehicles, and to report any suspicious activity promptly.

Below are more pictures of the stolen car: